Portable electric lamp.



No. 682.742. Patented Sept. I7, |901.v

'. H. E. PLASS.

PORTABLE ELECTRIC LAMP.

(Application led Apr. 20,*1901.)

(No Model.)

Vme Nonms PETERS CO.. PHOTO'LITMO., WASHINGTON. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT E. PLASS, OF NEW YORK'7 N. Y.

PORTABLE ELECTRIC LAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 682,742, datedSeptember 17, 1901.4

Application filed April 20, 1901. Serial No. 56,780. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, HERBERT E. PLASS, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing in New York city, in the county and State of New York,have invented an Improved Portable Electric Lamp, of which the followingis a specification.

The main object of my invention is .to so construct a portableelectric-lamp outfit that it can be conveniently carried in the pocketor in a hand-bag in conjunction with any other articles which a travelermay have to carry therein.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of thepreferred form of my portable electric-lamp outfit especially adaptedfor travelers use. Fig. 2 is a longi-r tudinal section of the same,drawn to a larger scale, with the cover-Hap open and the cells of thebattery removed. Fig. 3 is a sectional view at right angles to Fig. 2,but showing the cells of the battery in place and inclosing case shut.

Portable electric devices have heretofore been made consisting of asmall electric lamp, cells of battery, an inclosing case,and switch; butsuch devices have been ill adapted for travelers use, either by reasonof the awkward or clumsy shape or the protrusion of the lamp from thecase and consequent liability to breakage. I so. construct my portableelectric-lamp outfit that it can be carried in the users pocket orthrown into his traveling hand-bag with any other contents withoutliability to damage and so that it can be conveniently laid upon a shelfWithout danger of rolling off, while at the same time adapted to projectthe light conveniently when in use.

Fig. l of the accompanying drawings shows in perspective view thegeneral form of the outer case A, which is a iiat box withsemicylindrical ends. This case may be conveniently formed of leatherwith the opening at one of the rounded ends to be inclosed by a iieXiblefolding iiap a, the free end of which can be secured by any suitableform of fastening, such as the Well-known spring-snaps known asglove-fasteners, as shown at a. in the drawings. This outer case isconstructed to receive and hold closely, side by side, first acylindrical casing B, carrying the lamp and its switch, and then aseries of dry ,cells C C O2, the whole side by side and with- In thepresable form of miniature lamp D, the side or threaded contact d ot'the lamp making` electrical connection with the reflector b and thecasing B, while the insulated end contact d when the lamp is screwed inplace makes electrical connection with an insulated terminal f2, againstwhich bears a spring-terminal f, mounted upon an insulating-base F. Thisinsulating-base F, which isy secured in any suitable way in the casingB, carries another spring-terminal e, projecting through an opening inthe side of the casing B adjacent to the cells of battery land protectedfrom contact with the side of the casing B by a suitableinsulating-strip E. This contact e makes electrical connection with aterminal of the rst cell of the battery, and the several cells'C C C2are suitably connected in series, the ,outermost cell being providedwith a spring-finger c from the proper terminal, said finger being bentover the outer edge and side of the cell to bear against the metallicstrip or strips S, which extend along the inner face of the back of theouter case A, Fig. 2, to the lamp-cylinder B, to which they are solderedor otherwise electrically connected. These strips may be riveted, as ats, Fig. 2, to the wall of the case A, and thus not only serve to makethe electrical connectionsbetween one terminal of the cells and thelamp-cylinder B, but also serve to mechanically hold the latter inposition in the outer case A. The several cells used may be mechanicallybound up to-- gether in any suitable manner, so that they IOO shown asconsisting of a stem k, turning in the base and having an oblongrectangular head K and a thumb-piece 7c. This oblong piece K playsbetween two spring-ingersf and e', one of these being carried by theterminal f, while the other is carried by the terminal e. The switch isshown in Fig. 2 as with the circuit broken, the narrower width of theoblong piece K being seen. By turning the key at right angles to thisposition the longer width of the oblong piece K will be turned to theposition to bear against both Spring-iingers e' f', and so close thecircuit through the lamp in the manner common in lnany forms ofWell-known lamp-sockets.

The outer case A is provided with an opening as opposite one end of thelamp-cylinder for the switch-key and an opening a2 at the other end forthe lamp and its light. A suitable transparent or translucent cover maybe provided for the lamp-reflector. A convenient form of such will be asheet of mica, gelatin, or cellnloid, which may be inserted over thetops of the cells of the battery and the cylinder B, as indicated at Gin Fig. 2. Thisstrip of transparent or translucent material may or maynot be secured in place by any convenient means-such, for instance, as aMcGill fastener or eyelet g, Fig. 2. By using a ruby-colored sheet tocover the opening a2 the lamp can conveniently be used in photographicwork. The case A may have a handle, as at H, Fig. 2.

While I prefer the form of inclosing case A specifically illustrated, Ido not wish to be restricted thereto or to the detailed forms of theother parts.

l claim as my inventionl. A portable electric-lamp outfit, comprising aninclosing case with several cells of battery and a lamp-carrying casingside by side, said lam p-carrying casing as well as the cells beingcontained within the limits of the said` inclosing case.

2. A portable electric-lamp outfit, comprising a flat inclosing casecontaining a series of cells side by side and a casing also side by sidewith the cells, said casing carryinga lamp and switch andconnections,substantially as described.

3. A port-able electric-lamp outfit, comprising a flat inclosing casewith semicylindrical ends and containing a series of cylindrical cellsof battery side by side, and also side by side therewith a lamp andswitch carrying cylinder.

4. A portable electric-lam p outfit, comprising an inclosing casecontaining a series of cells of battery side by side and also a lamp andswitch carrying cylinder side by side with the cells, the inclosing casehaving openings for the lamp and switch.

ln testimony whereof l have signed my nanie to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERBERT E. PLASS.

Witnesses:

HUBERT HovvsoN, F. WARREN WRIGHT.

